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Wally World Fabric

After previously scoring some DWR or Silnylon from Wally world, I went back for more. Bought what looked like exactly the same stuff. Wrong. I can blow through it, it wets easily with water. But it feels about the same weight. I don't have a scale, so I used a coat hanger and some soda cans full of water and alot of string to rig together a sorta-scale. According to that very innacurate contraption, I'm guesstimating that the weight is 1.5-1.9oz. This stuff is *thin*, I can see my hands through it. I ended up buying 37 yards since I heard they were closing the fabric department, and now i'm trying to figure out what to do with it.

I had wanted to make a tarp or something, but since it's not waterproof, I'm wondering if I should tear apart my waterproof hammock to make a tarp, or if it'd be worthwhile to just use scotchguard and try to waterproof this stuff.

My other concern is weight ability. With my *really* thin DWR ripstop that I found (weighs also 1.5-1.9 ish), I am able to sit in it and lay down in it, and it hasn't torn, but I weigh 300lbs, so I'm a little concerned. Should you be able to see your hand through 1.9oz nylon?! Trying to figure out if i have 1.1 coated nylon or some other lesser material. How the heck do you find out what you have without weighing it, any tips or pointers?

Also, I found an easy way to hem up the edges for those without sewing machines ( I gave up trying to hand sew ). They sell a 'liquid stitch' product which made a pretty strong hem.

Sounds like you got some 1.1oz untreated ripstop to me. i can see my hand through all the 1.1oz I own, but not the 1.9oz.

If it's untreated material I would not make a tarp out of it, even with a treatment. I would be wary of making a tarp with DWR material. A tarp is there for weather protection and you may end up regretting not using a truly waterproof fabric.

If you are going to use liquid stitch you might want to go over the hem with a warm iron after gluing to press the glue into the fabric. Just put something in between and underneath the cloth so you don't get goo on the iron (I used wax paper). I found it makes a stronger seam that way. I haven't tried it on hammock seams yet though, I'd be interested to know how it holds up.

I could be wrong (it wouldn't be the first time ), but aren't parachutes the or one of the reasons we have silnylon?

i believe that's what i've herd.
speaking of wal-mart, i went into blackbishop's WM yesterday to get something else & of course walked over to check out the $1.00 bin.
man... i didn't see a stitch of rip stop
BB, have you been stockin up<g>?

i believe that's what i've herd.
speaking of wal-mart, i went into blackbishop's WM yesterday to get something else & of course walked over to check out the $1.00 bin.
man... i didn't see a stitch of rip stop
BB, have you been stockin up<g>?

Yeah, I bought the rest of the 1.9 oz. grey stuff they had a while back...I even got some from a Walmart near Jeff not too long ago! Go figure!

"Physics is the only true science. All else is stamp collecting." - J. J. Thompson